CALAMY, EDMUND, an eminent Presbyterian divine,
born at London in the year 1600, and educated at Pem-
broke Hall, Cambridge, where his attachment to the Armi-
nian party excluded him from a fellowship. Dr Felton,
bishop of Ely, however, made him his chaplain; and in
1639 he was chosen minister of St Mary Aldermary,
in the city of London. Upon the opening of the long
parliament he distinguished himself in defence of the
Presbyterian cause, and had a principal hand in writing
the famous Smeetymnus, which, he himself says, gave the
first deadly blow to Episcopacy. The authors of this tract
were five, the initials of whose names formed the name
under which it was published, viz. Stephen Marshal, Ed-
mund Calamy, Thomas Young, Mathew Newcomen, and
William Sparrow. He was afterwards an active member
in the assembly of divines, and a strenuous opposer of
sectaries; and he used his utmost endeavours to prevent
the violences which were committed after the king was
brought from the Isle of Wight. In Cromwell's time he
lived privately, but was assiduous in promoting the king's
return; for which he was afterwards offered a bishopric,
but refused it. He was ejected for nonconformity in
1662, and died of grief at the sight of the great fire of
London.